Apparatus for false twist-crimping of yarn



.Aug.22,1937 l DAMA-TWGLY Em 3,336,738

APPARATUS FOR FALSE TWIST-CRIMPING OF YARN Filed D'eo. 2, 1963 4 Sheets-Sheet l 4 rra/vrs.

Filed Dec. 2, 1965 Aug- 22, 1967 D. A. MATTINGLY ETAL 3,336,738

APPARATUS FOR FALSE TWIST-CRIMPING OF YARN 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Aug. 22, 1967 n. A. E. MATTINGL- Y ETAL. 3,336,738

' APPARATUS FOR FALSE TWIST-CRIMPING OF YARN vFiled Dec. 2, 1965 A 770/?5 YS.

4 Sheets-5heet 5 Aug. 22, 1967 APPARATUS FOR FALSE TV/IsT-CRIMPING oF YARN Filed Dec. 2, 1965 l 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 TTIDVEVJ.

D. A. E. MATTINGLY ETA. 3,336,738

United States Patent O 3,336,738 APPARATUS FOR FALSE TWIST-CREMPING F YARN Denis Albert Edward Mattingly and Reginald Selby Gilchrist, London, England, assignors to The Klinger Mannfactnring Company Limited, London, England, a British company Filed Dec. 2, 1963, Ser. No. 327,203 Claims priority, application Great Britain, Dec. 3, 1962, 45,701/62 24 Claims. (Cl. 57-34) This invention relates to apparatus and methods for false-twist-crimping of yarn of the kind in which the yarn is caused to travel from a supply package over a heated surface then through a rotating twisting head onto a takeup package. The rotating head imparts opposite twist to the yarn on opposite sides thereof, the twist in the yarn on one side runnin-g back over the heated surfaces While the yarn on the other side passes on to the take-up package. The fact that the yarn is heated whilst in a state of twist and is then subjected to opposite twist on the opposite side of the head under comparatively cool conditions, results in a crimp being imparted to the yarn.

Heretofore it has been usual for the yarn to travel in a substantially straight line through the apparatus so as to permit the twist in the yarn to run back freely over the heated surface. With the increase of speed of travel of the yarn through the apparatus now obtained by improvements in the design of spinning heads and their drives, the heaters have required to be considerably increased in length so that the yarn may remain for a suflicient time in contact with the heated surface to produce the required crimp, and this has resulted in an increase in the size of the apparatus. It follows therefore when the parts of the apparatus are 4arranged one above the other it may be difficult for the average-height machine operator to manipulate the yarn at the upper end of the apparatus.

Also .the heat gradient over the heated surfaces may not be most favourable for .producing the required crimp. An object of the present invention is to overcome these drawbacks.

According to this invention an apparatus of the kind referred to above for false-twist-crirnping of yarn is characterised in that the heater is provided with a surface one dimension of which is inclined to or extends transversely to the vertical and is of such a size in relation to the rate of travel of the yarn as to heat the yarn to the required temperature and means constraining the yarn to travel o-ver said surface in said direction, whereby the dimension of the heating surface in a vertical direction is reduced and the overall `dimension of the apparatus thus diminished.

Thus in the case where the various uni-ts of the apparatus are arranged at different levels the uppermost unit is readily accessible.

In the case where a number of yarns travel through the apparatus, in one construction according to the invention a number of heaters are provided side by side in a vertical plane each being in the form of an elongated metal bar, which bars are so mounted that their long dimensions are oblique to the vertical and guide means are provided for retaining yarns on heated surfaces as the yarns travel from the supply bobbins to the heaters and then from the heaters onwards to the twisting heads. In such an arrangement each twisting head and its associated take-up packages are disposed to one side of the feed bobbin in a direction across the width of the apparatus.

In another arrangement in which a number of yarns travel side by side across the width of the apparatus in an up and down `direction a number of heaters may be arranged side by side each being in the form of an elongated metal bar which bars are so mounted that their heating fac-es are in a plane inclined to a vertical plane and so that their long dimensions extend in an up and down direction and guide means are provided for retaining the yarns on the heated surfaces as the yarns travel from the supply bobbins to the heaters and from the heaters onwards to the twisting heads.

In yet a further arrangement on which a number of yarns travel side by .side across the width of the apparatus in an up and `down direction, a number of heater bars are arranged side by side with their heating faces lying in a substantially horizontal plane and so that their long dimensions extend transversely to the width of the apparatus and guide means are provided for retaining the yarns on the heated surfaces as the yarns first travel upwardly from the supply bobbin then substantially horizontally over the heaters and then upwardly to the spinning heads and take-up packages.

The said heating faces of the bars may be provided with grooves extending along the length thereof and guide means at one end of the bars guide the yarns traveling from the supply packages into the grooves and guide meansl at the other ends of the bars retain the yarns in the grooves whereafter they travel onwards to the twisting heads.

Alternatively the heating faces may be conveXly curved in the direction of the travel of the yarn and the yarn is retained on the surfaces by guides at opposite ends thereof disposed below the surface so that the tension in the yarn maintains it in contact with said curved surface.

The aforesaid bars may be provided with electric heating elements in known mann/er.

In an alternative arrangement in which a number of yarns travel side by side across the width of the apparatus in an up and down direction a heating unit may be provided having a heating face extending across the width of the apparatus and either disposed in a vertical plane or in a plane inclined to the vertical or in a substantially horizontal plane and guide means constraining the yarns to travel over that surface in a direction inclined to the vertical.

Again in this case the face of the unit may be provided with grooves for accommodating the yarn.

Whether or not the surface is provided with grooves, it may be convexly curved in the direction of travel of the yarn and guide means are disposed on opposite sides of the unit and below the surface so that the tension in the yarn maintains it in contact with the surface.

In the case where the surface is smooth and without grooves, the guide means on opposite sides of the unit may be so arranged and in suicient members that by appropriately engaging the various yarns with them the angle of inclination and the distance travelled by the yarns over the surface may be varied.

In any of the arrangements in which a number of yarns travel side by side over the surface of a heating unit may be in the form of a metal conduit through which hot fluid is caused to flow and maintained at a constant temperature in known manner, thus ensuring that all the yarns are subjected to substantially the same heat treatment.

In any of the above arrangements in which the heated surface or surfaces are provided with grooves for accommodating the yarn the grooves may be so shaped and disposed that the yarn passes in a Zig zag manner through them thereby still further reducing the dimension of the heaters in the general direction of the travel of the y-arn through the apparatus.

Also in any of the arrangements in which the surface of the heater is without grooves and is convexly curved in direction of travel of the yarn guide means may be so disposed on opposite sides of the surface that yarn travels in a path inclined to the vertical and the tension in the yarn retains it in contact with the surface.

In such an arrangement where the yarn is required to travel in a zig Zag fashion one or more guides are provided on the surface.

The axes of rotation of the spinning heads may be arranged substantially parallel to the travel of the yarns as they leave the heated surface or surfaces whereby the run back of the twist through the guides onto said surface or surfaces is not appreciably retarded. This oblique arrangement of the axis of rotation of the twisting head is applicable both to conventionally mounted belt-driven spindles carrying spinning heads and to spindles having associated therewith magnetic means for preventing undue axial movement.

The axes of the supply bobbins may be vertically disposed in known manner land the yarn travels substantially vertically from the packages to the guides at one end of the heating bars or on one side of the heating unit, whereafter the yarns pass obliquely from the guides over the heating surface or surfaces.

In any of the arrangements referred to above the supply bobbins may be arranged lowermost and the take-up packages uppermost or vice versa to that in the one case the yarns travel upwards and in the other case downwards.

The following is a description of a number of embodiments of the invention reference being made to the accompanying diagrammatic drawing in which:

FIGURE 1 shows a side elevation of a part of a false twisting apparatus across the width thereof showing a conventional lay-out of the parts.

FIGURE 2 is a side elevation of a part of a false twisting apparatus across the width thereof in which the heaters are disposed in one way according to the present invention;

FIGURE 3 is an end elevation of a false twisting apparatus in which the heating surfaces for the yarns lie in a plane inclined to the vertical,

FIGURE 4 is a side elevation of a part of a false twisting apparatus across the width thereof embodying a heater unit over which a number of yarns are passed as distinct from the separate heaters of FIGURES l and 2;

FIGURE 5 is an end elevation of the arrangement shown in FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 6 is a side elevation of a part of a false twisting apparatus across the width thereof having a heater unit over which the yarns pass downwardly in an inclined manner over it and thence to the spinning heads and finally down to the take-up packages at the bottom of the apparatus;

FIGURE 7 is an end elevation of the apparatus shown in FIGURE 6;

FIGURE 8 is a similar view to FIGURE 6 of the heater unit over which the yarns travel downwardly in an inclined manner and thence in an opposite inclined to a twisting head arranged with its axis of rotation in line with the last said inclined portion of the yarn.

FIGURE 9 is an end elevation of the heater of FIG- URE 8;

FIGURE 10 is a side elevation of a similar heater unit to that shown in FIGURE 6 but in which the yarn travels downwardly in a zig zag manner;

FIGURE 1l is an end elevation of a false twisting appar-atus in which a single horizontal heating unit is provided for the two rows of units on opposite sides of the apparatus.

FIGURE 12 is a plan view of a part of a heating unit of FIGURE ll.

A conventional form of false twisting apparatus is shown in FIGURE l and comprises on each side of the apparatus a number of supply bobbins 10 which extend upwardly from a base 11 of the machine. The yarn 12 from each bobbin passes upwardly through a tensioning device or feed rollers indicated diagrammatically at 13, and thence .along a straight groove 14 formed in a face of a heater 15 which faces lie in a vertical plane. Each heater bar may be heated by an electric resistance element or by heated oil passing through it. The yarn passes upwardly from each heater through .a false twisting head 16, thence through feed rollers 17 onto a take-up package 18 which is rotated at a suitable speed through a transmission (not shown).

In one modicaion according to the present invention shown in FIGURE 2 `the heater bars 15 extend at an angle to the vertical with their heating surfaces disposed in a vertical plane and are provided with eyes 19, 20 at opposite ends thereof through which the yarn passes and which retain the yarn in the grooves 14.

By comparing FIGURES 1 and 2 it will be seen that a considerable saving is obtained in the overall height of the machine. The various heater bars may be provided with separate electrical elements for heating them or they may be hollow and be supplied with heated oil from a header pipe. The heaters may be suitably lagged apart from their grooved faces to prevent the loss of heat 'by radiation.

FIGURE 3 is an end elevation of an apparatus in wich heater bars 15 are arranged side by side on opposite sides of the apparatus and converge as they extend upwards as viewed from a side of the apparatus they might appear `as in FIGURE l or as in FIGURE 2. The grooves are arranged on the underside of the bars.

Referring to the arrangement shown in FIGURES 4 and 5 instead of providing a separate heater bar for each yarn there is provided a single heating unit 21 having vertical faces on opposite sides thereof of sufficient width to accommodate side by side on each face of the unit a number of grooves 14 inclined to the vertical one for each yarn.

As in the construction of FIGURE 2 guide eyes 19, 20 are provided at opposite ends of each groove, and below the surface in which the grooves were formed, in order to retain the yarn in the grooves. The heating unit may be of a hollow character and hot oil is passed into and out of it through the conduits 22. The unit is suitably lagged as indicated at 24.

The arrangement shown in FIGURES 6 and 7 is rather similar to that of FIGURE 4 with the exception that the supply bobbins 10 are arranged at the top of the apparatus and the take-up packages 18 at the bottom. Also separate units are provided for the two sides of the apparatus the vertical surface of each unit in this case is arranged to be smooth and convexly curved in the direction of travel of the yarn. It will be seen that by providing a sufiicient number of guide eyes 19 and 20 the yarns can be threaded up in different ways so that the inclination in passing from a guide eye 19 and 20 may be varied and thus the length of yarn in contact with the heated surface is varied. In this case the yarn after passing through one of the guide eyes 20 would then pass through another of said guide eyes so that it can be drawn off from opposite its supply bobbin 10.

In the arrangement of the heater unit shown in FIG- URES 8 and 9 the curved face 21 instead of being vertically disposed is inclined to the vertical and instead 0f the yarn extending vertically downwards to the spinning head extends downwardly in an inclined manner and the axis of rotation of the spinning head 16 is likewise inclined. By these means each spinning head and its associated feed bobbin and take-up package may be disposed close to a vertical plane extending transversely to the heating unit. Such 'an arrangement of the spinning heads is applicable to the various alternative arrangements previously and hereinafter described. The inclined arrangement of the axis of rotation of the twisting head is applicable both to conventionally mounted belt-driven spindles carrying spinning heads and to spindles having Y lassociated therewith magnetic means for preventing undue axial movement.

In the arrangement shown in FIGURE l() the surface of the face 21 of each heating unit on opposite sides of the apparatus is convexly curved in the direction of travel yof the yarn and is provided with a number of pegs 25 proje-cting from said surface and around which the yarn may be passed in a zig zag fashion and is retained on the surface by the eyes 19 and 20 on opposite sides of the unit being disposed slightly below the ends of the curved surface.

The zig zag path of travel of the yarn may extend in an inclined manner similar to that shown in FIGURE 9.

The arrangement shown in FIGURES 1l and 12 is somewhat similar to that shown in FIGURE 3 but in place of their being two blocks of heater bars inclined to the vertical on each side of the apparatus there is provided either a single horizontally disposed block of bars or a horizontally disposed heating unit 26 extending across the width of the apparatus and there are disposed on opposite sides of the block `or unit rows of spinning heads and associated bobbins and take-uppackages. Each yarn from a supply bobbin on one side of the block or unit extends upwardly through a guide eye 27 on that side, across the heating surface, through lan eye 2S on the opposite side back again to another eye 29 on the first said side and then upwardly to a spinning head.

This arrangement may be up ended so that supply bobbins are at the top and the take-up packages 1i8 are are the bottom and so that the surface of the heater over which 4the yarn travels is lowermost.

Also in any of the arrangements in which the heater surfaces are inclined or horizontal they may be directed downwardly so as to reduce the heat loss.

We claim:

1. Apparatus for false twist crimping a plurality of yarns, said apparatus extending lengthwise in longitudinal planes, said apparatus including a heater having an exposed outer heating surfacer on one side thereof extending lengthwise along the apparatus, said heating surface having a narrow width compared :to its length, means for leading the plurality of yarns in side-by-side relationship to and from the longitudinal sides of said heating surface and at angles transverse to the longitudinal planes of said apparatus and along the length thereof, said leading means including guide means for constraining the plurality of yarns to travel across and in contact with said heating surface so that each yarn travels obliquely across said heating surface yfor at least part of its path thereacross.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which said guide means includes grooves extending across the heating surface obliquely to said lengthwise direction, and through which the yarns are caused to travel.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which said heating surface is convexly curved at right angles to the lengthwise direction.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3 in which said guide means comprises guides disposed along each sideof said heating surface, said :guides being disposed in planes inwardly of said oute-r heating surface so that tension in the yarn maintains the yarn in contact with said heating surface.

5. Apparatus for false twist 'crimping yarn including a heater having an exposed outer heating surface extending lengthwise along the apparatus, said heating surface having narrow width compared to its length, and a plurality of guides disposed along each side of said heating surface, said guides being disposed in planes inwardly of said outer heating surface to constrain a plurality of yarns to travel across said heating surface so that the tension in the yarns maintains them in contact with said heating surface, said gui-des being in suicient numbers so that the direction of travel of the yarns and the length of the yarn paths across said heating surface can be varied by appropriately choosing which guides the yarns are caused to engage.

6. Appa-ratus for simultaneously false twisting a number of yarns said apparatus extending lengthwise in longitudinal planes, said apparatus comprising heating means having a long exposed outer heating surface on one side thereof and extending in the lengthwise direction of the apparatus, means disposed in side-by-side relationship along planes substantially parallel to the lengthwise direction of the apparatus for leading the yarns in side-byside relationship to and from spaced points along the length of said outer heating surface, sai-d means including a multiplicity of guide means disposed along the length of said surface for causing a plurality of yarns to follow yarn paths over said surface, at least part of the length of each yarn path being inclined to the lengthwise direction of said surface.

7. Apparatus according to claim 6 including a further multiplicity of guide means provided on said heating surface for constraining the yarns to move in zig-zag paths across said surface.

8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 7 in which said yarn guides are formed by peg-like projections extending from said long surface.

9. Apparatus for false twisting yarn comprising means for supporting a plurality of yarn supply packages, heatin-g means having a heating surface extending lenghwise along the apparatus, a plurality of twisting heads disposed along the apparatus on the opposite side of said heating surface to said supply packages, the plurality of twisting heads having their axes displaced in said lengthwise direction relative to the plurality of supply packages, and guide means for constraining each yarn to pass obliquely over and in contact with said heating surface and in the direction of the axes of said twisting heads.

10. Apparatus for false twisting yarn, said apparatus extending in longit-udinal planes, said apparatus including a heater having an elongated hollow member extending along the length of the apparatus and through which member hot fluid passes, said member having an exposed outer heating surface on one side thereof extending lengthwise of said apparatus and being covered on the other sides for preventing heat loss, a row of guide means being disposed in side-by-side relationship adjacent eac-h longitudinal edge of said heating surface to constrain a plurality of yarns to pass in side-by-side relationship to and from the longitudinal edge of said outer heating surface and obliquely over and in contact with said heating surface.

11. Apparatus as claimed in claim 10 in which said heating surface is convexly curved at right angles to its lengthwise direction.

,12. Apparatus as claimed in claim 11 in which said member extends horizontally and the plane containing the longitudinal edges of said heating surface is inclined to the horizontal so that said heating surface faces upwards and outwards from the apparatus.

13. Appa-ratus for false twisting yarn said apparatus extending lengthwise in longitudinal planes and comprising a heater having an elongated hollow member extending horizontally along one side of the apparatus and through which elongated member heating Huid is passed, said elongated member having an exposed outer heating surface on one side thereof and extending for substan- .tially the length of the apparatus, substantially parallel to said longitudinal planes, a plurality of yarn supply packages mounted above the level of said heating surface, a plurality of twisting heads mounted below the level of said heating surface and a plurality of yarn guides disposed in side-by-side relationship along each longitudinal side of said outer heating surface and constraining a plurality of yarns to pass side by side over and in contact with said outer heating surface obliquely to the lengthwise direction thereof, the yarns passing transversely of said longitudinal planes and downwardly from the supply packages, then partly along in longitudinal directions the apparatus as they pass over said heating surface, and then transversely of said longitudinal planes and downwardly again as they pass through said twisting heads.

14. Apparatus for false twisting yarn, said apparatus extending lengthwise in longitudinal planes and including a plurality of twisting heads along each side of the apparatus, an elongated heater having a heating surface extending along the middle of the apparatus and being disposed substantially in a horizontal plane, a series of guides arranged along each side of said heating surface to constrain each yarn to pass transversely across said heating surface from one side to the other and then transversely back again in a different direction, and a plurality of supply packages along each side of the apparatus whereby the plurality of yarns from the supply packages on one side of the apparatus to pass the plurality of twisting heads on that side of the apparatus after traversin-g twice across said heating surface.

1S. Apparatus `according to claim 6 wherein a plurality of yarns are selectively engageable by said multiplicity of said guide means.

16. In a method for treating yarn in apparatus including a heating surface having a narrow width compared to its length, the improvement comprising guiding the yarn to a longitudinal side of the heater surface at an angle transverse to the lengthwise direction thereof and at least partially across the heating surface intermediate said sides in a path obliquely to the lengthwise direction of the heating surface and then guiding the yarn away from a longitudinal side of the heater.

17. In the method of claim 16, wherein said heating surface, at right angles to its lengthwise direction, is convexly lcurved and the method further includes guiding the yarn in contact with the convexly curved heating surface.

18. In the method of claim 17, including guiding the yarn to one side of the heating surface and away from the heating surface on the other side in planes inwardly of the convexly curved heating surface, and maintaining the yarn in contact with the heating surface by maintain- Cil ing tension in the yarn between the sides of the heating surface.

19. In the method of claim 16, wherein the heating surface is provided with a groove extending in a path oblique to the lengthwise direction of the heating surface and the method further includes :guiding the yarn within the groove.

20. The method of claim 16, including guiding the yarn in a selected path of predetermined angularity.

21. In the lmethod of claim 16, including guiding the yarn to a near side of the heating surface, then across the heating surface in said oblique path to a point short of the far side and then guiding the yarn in a path at an angle to the rst path to the far side of the heating surface and thence away from said heating surface.

22. The method of claim 16, including guiding a plurality of yarns across the heating surface in a plurality of paths oblique to the lengthwise direction thereof.

23. The method of claim 22, including guiding each of said plurality of yarns in a selected path of predetermined angularity.

24. In the -method of claim 22, including guiding the plurality of yarns in zig zag paths across said heating surface.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,790,298 4/1-957 Kunzle 28-72 2,820,280 1/1958 Benn 28-72 2,823,513 2/1958 Vandamme et al. 57-34 2,864,229 12/1958 Seem et al. 57-34 2,899,796 8/1959 Soussloff et al. 28-72 2,958,921 11/1960 Gilchrist et al. 57-34 2,976,667 3/1'961 Racicot 28-72 2,987,869 6/1961 Klein 28-72 3,067,563 12/1962 Van -Dijk 57-34 3,069,837 12/1962 Olson 57-34 3,154,906 11/1964 Van Assendelft 57-34 3,212,157 10/1965 Mattingly 28-1 FOREIGN PATENTS 779,800 7/ 1957 Great Britain.

FRANK I. COHEN, Primary Examiner.

I. PETRAKES, Assistant Examiner. 

1. APPARATUS FOR FALSE TWIST CRIMPING A PLURALITY OF YARNS, SAID APPARATUS EXTENDING LENTHWISE IN LONGITUDINAL PLANES, SAID APPARATUS INCLUDING A HEATER HAVING AN EXPOSED OUTER HEATING SURFACE ON ONE SIDE THEREOF EXTENDING LENGTHWISE ALONG THE APPARATUS, SAID HEATING SURFACE HAVING A NARROW WIDTH COMPARED TO ITS LENGTH, MEANS FOR LEADING THE PLURALITY OF YARNS IN SIDE-BY-SIDE RELATIONSHIP TO AND FROM THE LONGITUDINAL SSIDES OF SAID HEATING SURFACE AND AT ANGLES TRRANSVERSE TO THE LONGITUDINAL PLANES 